Written at just 16, Perth-based indie folk artist Joel Tane's latest single ‘Childhood’ explores the loss of childhood innocence and the changes that come with growing older. Now, several years later, the song has taken on a new meaning, with Joel finding himself relating to lyrics he wrote long before experiencing some of the things they describe. Ahead of his upcoming album release on November 20th, YARD caught up with Joel to discuss revisiting his teenage songwriting, preserving his younger identity and what it means to finally bring these songs into the world.
In Conversation with Joel Tane
YARD: Although you wrote ‘Childhood’ at 16, it almost feels like it was written for the person you are today. Do you feel like you've grown into the song rather than grown out of it?
JOEL: I actually really do. I think out of all the songs on the record, that one has grown with me the most. I wrote it when I was still technically a child, and there's a few lines in there that I found myself relating to years after I had actually written it, which was interesting.
All the other ones have just fallen out of fashion a bit because they're about, you know, teenage Snapchat. I'm like, that's not me, you know. But that one [‘Childhood’], it feels like it's really stuck with me. I think you said it best.
YARD: Is there any line in particular you find the most relatable now, or that you love?
JOEL: Oh, there's a few actually. Maybe “used to think about T-rexes, now I'm thinking about my next exes.” I was like, shit, okay, that's good.
And there's a line about therapy in there. That was the one because I'd just got therapy last year, and I wrote that, you know, five, six, seven years ago now.
YARD: With this album being a collection of songs you wrote when you were younger, how much of your younger self have you tried to preserve in the finished recordings, and how much has changed along the way?
JOEL: The lyrics and the melody, that's pretty much all the exact same. In the studio we make some structural changes to get it more friendly, you know, just to fit it so it's not seven minutes long.
So structurally there's been some changes, but lyrically, melodically, it's pretty much all the same.
I think the biggest one that I've tried to keep is how I'm presenting it as well, visually and aesthetically, you know, with the whole bandana thing. I don't wear that now.
I think visually and definitely just in the core of the music, that angsty teen self is still coming through, which is the vision.
YARD: Was the bandana something you would've been wearing at 15 or 16?
JOEL: That was me at that age, yeah. I remember I had a trip to New Zealand and I picked [the bandana] up there, then for the rest of high school, that was the thing.
“So this is my thing,” you know. I feel like I always had an awareness of artist identity. I think it's important to have something that people recognise you for. I suppose that [the bandana] was that for me at the time.
YARD: When you first wrote ‘Childhood’, you were already reflecting on how much life had changed as you'd gotten older. Now, six or seven years on, do you find yourself looking back on your teenage years in a similar way to how you were looking back on your childhood then?
JOEL: To an extent. Yeah, I do but I don't at the same time. I really don't miss it, you know?
I don't really miss my teenage years. I was a very different person, and I think I've really sort of come into myself more recently, and I think I'm happy with where I am.
As nostalgic as I am about it, I just like where I'm at now, I think.
YARD: When you look back at your childhood now, what's something you miss that you didn't necessarily appreciate at the time?
JOEL: Ooh, that's a good question. This is the best interview I've ever had, you've gotta do these more.
I think the first thing that sticks out is the last time you see some of your friends. Like, I remember going from primary school to high school, I had these best mates that I'd see almost every day, and then, you know, maybe one day in Year 7, it was the last time we saw each other.
We just totally go different ways, so I think losing friends is a big one.
YARD: If you could have a conversation with the 15-year-old version of yourself who wrote this album, what would you want to tell him?
JOEL: You'll figure it out. I'd tell him you'll figure this shit out and it's gonna be fine.
I think it would be, keep an open mind and you'll be fine. I think that'll be it.
YARD: With the album coming out on November 20, what does finally getting these songs out into the world mean to you? Is it more about closing a chapter of your life, or is there something you're particularly excited for people to hear and connect with?
JOEL: Honestly, it's gonna be such a relief. I've been thinking about this for literally since I've been in school, in maths class in like Year 9 and Year 10, just thinking about what this album would look like.
I think I'm at a point where thematically it's definitely past me, and I've written things since that I'm way more excited about sharing.
I think for me, it's really important to close this chapter and to get it out and build a foundation for myself that's also a good platform to stand on, where people can see the growth that I've done, you know. Have this era and then release the music afterwards so people can sort of see the difference then.
I think that I'm really excited about that, and I'm excited about the music too. Like, it's definitely worthwhile and these songs are definitely deserving of being out. I think it's really important.
Joel Tane's forthcoming album ‘Chronicle XV’ is out November 20. Listen to ‘Childhood’ now.